Renovating

Curb Appeal: The '80s. What were we thinking?

Eliminating visual clutter, which can negatively affect curb appeal, and painting the brick a neutral dark brown welcomes the home into the 21st century.

Photograph by: Suzanne Rowe
, The Gazette

For those of us who remember the '80s, androgynous football player shoulder pads, Aladdin pants and exaggerated bang hairdos were only a few of the ugliest fashion statements ever. If you were cool enough, you were surrounded by pink stuff inside and outside your home. To-day's house is not unaffected by this period.

Stuck in a time warp with the arch over the front door, the four overpowering grandiose cylindrical round columns as well as the pink, grey and reddish brown bricks were in dire need of a trip into the present with the H.G. Wells time machine. Youthful and quiet sophistication was in order.

Visual clutter such as artificial flowers in the mailbox or various knick-knacks peeking through the windows and vertical blinds are small details that can negatively affect the curb appeal.

Trying to work miracles around the multicoloured surface was not going to be an option. Any other cosmetic improvements would only have been futile.

The roof is greenish grey and should last for a while. I suggest painting the bricks and mortar in a very neutral dark brown that's free of red pigmentation and has a matte finish. A good quality specialized paint is recommended. The vertical gutters should also be the same colour.

Before painting all the grey elements from the new de-sign, wash surfaces with TSP and rinse well with a water hose. This is a good way to in-sure a good adhesion with the new matte exterior acrylic paint. A slight green under-tone is welcomed in the grey tint so that it harmonizes with the existing roof.

A big mistake homeowners make is to install double doors that don't match. Even if one of these is permanently shut, they should be treated as twins. To bring this residence into present time, I propose a couple of sleek and contemporary glass panel doorways. Over these, the sides of the outmoded arch will be sawed and removed. Starting from the bottom and secured one over the other at an angle, the revealed area will receive a series of wide wooden planks. In the end, it should look like a large horizontal blind. The four massive tubular columns ought to be replaced by two simple but strong square ones that would contribute to the up-to-date feel. On the face of the overhang, a triangular detail is installed for added relief. A simple and larger glass and silver light fixture will scale-up the end result.

A generous second path-way will pull together the property and make the new space look richer and more inviting. Consequently, the existing flower beds will capitulate for an introduction of a minimalist impression with streamlines of vegetation and fewer colours. Between the two bedroom windows will be a nice set-ting for our feature wall. This space will exhibit an interesting weeping pine. These trees have ornamental value as they look sculptural with their unusual shapes and their long bluish needles. They differ from one to the other. Some are wider and others longer and leaner. The two last qualities are the ones we're looking for in a specimen at a nursery. On each side of the new walkway, several Berberis with their yellow foliage in spring that will later on alter to lime green, then red in fall with the same colour berries will become a sure invitation for birds.

The pink home is now only a memory. Welcome to the 21st century.

Vegetation (from left to right):

- Owner's shrub

- Artemisia stelleriana Silver Brocade (perennials, silver, border)

- Berberis Aurea Nana (shrubs, hedge pathway, yellow to lime to red)

- Pinus strobus Pendula (tree, conifer, bluish, feature wall)

- Taxus Hicksii (evergreen bush, right corner)

HOUSEWARMING

Most homes can use a little help when it comes to warming up their curb appeal. If you'd like some inexpensive ideas on how to improve the appearance of your home, send a clear photo of your house with your commentary to: Suzanne Rowe, Designer, suro@bell.net. Because of the volume of email she receives, it is not possible for her to individually reply to each correspondent.

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